Arab St
This area of small streets is the focal point of Muslim life in Singapore.
Hole-in-the-wall shops and bazaars offer lots of bargains. It's good for
clothes and fabrics as well as baskets, things made of cane or straw and
camel skin bags.

Chinatown
ucked behind the city's financial district, is a colourful network of
streets and alleyways crowded with traders selling exotic foods and medicines,
fortune tellers teashops, clog and kite makers. It's possible to buy handicrafts
from all over Asia here. One of the best time to visit is during the run-up
to the Chinese New Year, in January or early February, when everything
is lit up and buzzing.

Colonial Singapore
The mark of Sir Stamford Raffles is indelibly stamped on central Singapore.
By moving the business district south of the river and making the northern
area the administrative centre, Raffles created the framework that remained
the blueprint for central Singapore through generations of colonial rule
and the republican years of independence.

Little India
The place to go shopping for silverware, brassware, ethnic jewellery,
jasmine garlands and silk saris. The Little India Cultural Corner provides
an insight into the history of the Indian community in Singapore and there
are lots of excellent restaurants and interesting temples. A good time
to visit is during Deepavali, the Indian Festival of Lights.

Jurong
Jurong Town, west of the city centre, is a huge industrial and housing
area that is the powerhouse of Singapore's economy. This might seem an
unlikely spot for a number of Singapore's tourist attractions but it is
home to the Haw Par Villa (an incredibly tacky Chinese mythological theme
park), the beautifully landscaped Jurong Bird Park, Chinese Garden and
the hands-on Singapore Discovery Centre.

Orchard Rd
Huge malls and more shopping than you can imagine including CK Tang's,
Singapore's most famous department store. The Botanic Gardens at the western
end of the road provide a peaceful respite, with over half a million different
plants including a mini jungle, rose gardens, fern gardens and orchid
gardens.

Sentosa Island
The granddaddy of Singapore's parks, Sentosa Island is the city-state's
most visited attraction. It has museums, aquariums, beaches, sporting
facilities, walks, rides and food centres. If a day isn't enough to take
in all the sites and activities, the island has a camping ground, hostel
and luxury hotels.

Green spaces
Singapore is not all high rise, there are lots of green places which is
why it's often called the 'garden city'. There are dozens of gardens and
reserves including, Sungei Buloh Nature Park, which acts as a stopover
for migrating birds from September to March. And the Bukit Timah Nature
Reserve which is home to more species of flora than North America. The
zoo has over 2,000 animals and the neighbouring Night Safari provides
a glimpse of the nocturnal activities of striped hyenas, leopards, elephants,
rhinos, giraffes and otters. The Jurong Bird Park has around 8,000 birds
from over six hundred species, everything from eagles and falcons to penguins
and kiwis.

Museums
Many of the colonial buildings have been converted into museums. Ones
to visit include the Singapore History Museum, Singapore Art Museum the
Asian Civilisations Museum.